Away From The Sunset
by GS
Summary: AU, Yaoi, No pairings yet. Two bandits have to be brought to justice. But who is the one for the job and can they do it?
1. Default Chapter

Away From The Sunset  
  
  
GS: As always, this is a cliché fic I've taken and twisted for my own purposes. I think I've found a pattern to my stories huh? I just saw this pic and I had to use it! It's on my webpage by this story so go check it out.  
  
"No!" an accented voice yelled as the man coughed in the mist of the kicked up dirt swirling around him. "St-stop you thieves!"  
  
Loud laughter was the only thing that met the shopkeeper's ears. The two bandits tore down the streets, people gaping as their loot bounced slightly from its bound position on one of the thief's chest. The boy adjusted it a little as the other cackled madly. They quickly left the small scruffy town behind. Once they were out of sight, one of the boys slowed down and other quickly followed suit. They chose a deliberate walk as they slackened their reins. One of the boys pulled off his black hat and waved it in the air whooping as his long braid fell out. He pulled his face mask down, eyes sparkling and a huge grin on his face.  
  
"We did it! The Dynamic Duo has done it again!" his bay mare sighed and glared at her ride, annoyed at being thumped in the belly. "Sorry Shi(1)!"  
  
"I think I had something to do with the prize too," the boy's partner pulled off his own black hat and pulled the black face mask down. He patted his chestnut gelding softly. "It was Cha(2) that kicked that sheriff and my plan."  
  
"But my dashing wit and charm more then got us the booty! How much did we get anyway?"  
  
Now, with the town out of sight and in the clear, the two boys settled down to business, though the braided one still held a cheerful smile. After carefully making their way down the rocky terrain, they found their current camp, a small cave on the side of a steep rocky cliff. There was some dried grass nearby and a small shallow pond a ten minute ride north. It was an ideal hiding place. They dismounted near the hidden entrance to the shallow indent of the cave.  
  
The braided boy fondly patted his mare's neck and pulled the heavy saddle from her sweaty back. He slipped the worn bridle off and she gave a huge yawn while the boy laughed.  
  
The other boys stroked his gelding's nose and carefully slid his bare-thread saddle and saddle pad off his back. The chestnut sighed in appreciation and playfully nudged the boy with his nose. The boy smiled and took off the bridle.   
  
The bay snorted and trotted off to the direction of the water hole. She turned back to her chestnut companion and whined annoyed. The gelding took off after her. The braided boy watched them go with a strange look on his face as he looked around.  
  
"Hey Fei, where's Tian(3)?"  
  
The other boy looked around worriedly then relaxed as he saw a small black figure off in the distance. He pointed. "Over there. She must have found some better grazing. I'll go get her. You count the money. And start a fire please, I can cook the rest of the sloop tonight and we will move on tomorrow to buy more. Duo," the boy glared at his companion. "Try to cook it yourself and I will kill you."  
  
"Awe, but Fei..."  
  
"My name is /WU/fei Maxwell," the Chinese youth glared with no affect. The boy just laughed as Wufei stalked off to the black horse. As he got into hearing range he put to fingers in his mouth and whistled.   
  
The black mare lifted her head and started off towards him at an ambling pace. Eventually the mare made it right up to Wufei and nuzzled his hand affectionately. Wufei offered a rare smile and moved to place his hands on her swollen midsection.   
  
"Still waiting Tian? I think we'll all feel a lot better once your little one is born. Come now, you must be hot, Cha and Shi are by the water hole, let's get you cooled off."   
  
The mare blew softly on his back as his smiled broadened. He placed a hand on her long mane and led her back slowly. They approached the camp where Duo had just gotten the dry kindling to light. He was slowly blowing on it and adding larger pieces.  
  
"Her baby still hanging in there Fei?"  
  
"Yes Maxwell, she hasn't given birth yet," Wufei sighed and petted the mare's neck.  
  
"This waiting will kill me," Duo sighed and leaned back as the larger piece caught. "I'll take her down to the water hole, get some water and bring Cha and Shi back while you get stuff ready. I haven't gotten around to the money yet."  
  
Wufei nodded. He saw that Duo had changed from the long heavy black clothes they had worn on the raid to lighter cloths. He wore his black vest with deep red shirt underneath. The sleeves were cut so his tanned arms showed but a large white bandanna was tied around his neck to prevent his chest from burning. His ratty fingerless 'thief-like' gloves, at least to him, were on his dirty hands. He had shabby black boots and loose black pants. He was wise enough to wear his hat, one thing Wufei was glad he didn't have to remind him about. Duo waited expectantly.  
  
"Alright Maxwell. But be careful, they might have people out for us and Tian can't move very fast right now-"  
  
"I know Fei," Duo grinned as Wufei reluctantly stepped away from the pretty black mare. "Just cook, if anyone comes Shi and I can taken 'em!"  
  
Wufei grunted as Duo left. He watched the pregnant walk slowly behind the black clad bandit. He had no worries that Duo would do less then an excellent job in watching the mare. He just worried. He let the fire grow bigger as he changed quickly from his own heavy clothes. A black top from his homeland was cool, even in his heat. He donned his Western jeans and black boots. He put his hat back on and knelt by the pack. He searched through one until he pulled out a wrapped piece of dried meat and a tin of vegetables. It was the last of their food but with the money sitting safely at the back of the cave they had enough to restock.  
  
He put a large rock over the fire, balancing on two smaller ones so it didn't smother. He placed their one dented pot on top of the rock carefully and sat back to let it heat up. His dark eyes scanned the horizon below him. There was the dip to the southeast where Tian had been. To the northwest was a few shallow hills and over that the water hole. The town was at their backs to the west.   
  
Wufei relaxed but his eyes and ears kept tracking. He glanced at the pot and saw that the bottom was already a hot red. Duo should be getting back with that water soon. He closed his eyes briefly, when he heard a laugh that gave away Duo's presence. He looked to one of the hills as Duo can over it sitting on Shi's back. He was resting his hands on her withers as Tian tickled his chin with her nose. He gave the black mare a tender caress and clucked to Shi to get her to speed up. Shi ignored him. Duo hopped off and walked over to Wufei and handed him the leather jerkin with the water. Wufei nodded and dumped the fresh water into the pot where it sizzled and steam poured quickly from the top.   
  
Wufei gave the water a few minutes to start boiling before he added the jerky. Duo went in the shelter and brought out the sack of money. He settle dit on the dirt and sat cross-legged in front of it after removing his boots. Duo giggled and rubbed his hands together like a child.  
  
"This may just be it! We may just have enough!"  
  
"I doubt it Maxwell," Wufei said but with a touch of regret in his voice. "We still have a long way to go before we can afford that orphanage of yours."  
  
"Ours Fei!" Duo said, optimistic as he dumped the gold and silver coin in the flat dirt. "You helped so it's have yours!"  
  
"The joy," Wufei rolled his eyes. He deemed the slop ready to receive the canned vegetables. He took a small can opener and cut the top off of the food and poured the watery peas and carrots in. He idly stirred as he watched Duo start counting the gold and silver. His attention wandered as he thought about how he wished he could figure out this currency. There had never been time to learn. Eventually his nose told him that the food was ready and he used the ladle to lift the pot from the first and into the dirt to cool. Duo was half way through the money and didn't even look up.   
  
Shi, Cha and Tian grazed nearby in the tired grass surrounding the temporary camp. Wufei glanced at his sleek gelding. Cha was a tall horse, his back well over Shi and Tian. He was fairly well-mannered most of the time but loud people annoyed him. He would attack if provoked, it made Wufei glad Cha was the horse he had picked from that raid. It was a blind decision made in the heat of escape but Cha had turned out to be very loyal to his new master.  
  
Shi was another story. She was small, thin and wiry. Duo had rescued her a few years before he had met Wufei when she was being beaten in the streets. After Duo won her trust she was incredibly devoted to her young rider and constantly watched out for him. Wufei let himself smile slightly. It was rare to find a horse that willing to protect you.  
  
Tian. The misfit of the group. She hadn't been stolen or rescued or led a hard life. Soft and pampered, she was a present for Wufei's wife when she was ten. The little foal Wufei had presented her with was the one thing that had in common. Merian had naturally like horses but Wufei had a deep love for them. He had raised Tian himself when Merian hadn't been around. When he was dishonoured by his family, he had left and had taken Tian with him. One careless innkeeper's mistake was the reason for the worry around camp. A mare with her first foal and barely five years old without any proper stables or animal doctor or shelter was not something people wanted when they were on the run. Wufei had estimated she had less then a month left.  
  
Duo finished counted the money and cheerfully divided it. Some went back in the sack and the rest went into the rest of their savings.  
  
"We are getting' closer Fei! Just watch, any day now!" Duo leaned back on the rock and propped his feet up on Wufei's knee. The Chinese youth wrinkled his nose at the holy socks and pushed them off.  
  
"Maxwell, I do not need your feet assaulting my face. I believe supper has cooled enough to eat."  
  
"Yes!" Duo dove for the tin bowls Wufei had dragged out of the sacks. He grabbed the ladle and scooped half of the slop into his bowl. Wufei took his share and the two settled quietly into eating. There was a comfortable silence between them as the sun set behind them. It was eerie really, having a black horizon while the rest of the sky glowed a deep orange and violet.   
  
After the food was gone there was a short scrap about who was going to do the dishes but in the end Wufei had kicked Duo out of the cave. The boy grumbled but got on his mare bareback and asked her politely to take him to the waterhole. Shi complied and Cha went with them.   
  
Wufei went to the dead tree just above the rocky alcove where the depression was. Tian tried to follow him but a quick shout from Wufei stopped her. She watched with brown eyes as he gathered the bigger pieces still there and rolled them down the hill. He piled them beside the fire and stroke it until it grew bigger. He was repacking some of their supplies when Duo returned, soaking wet.   
  
"It wasn't my fault!" Duo claimed as soon as Wufei had raised an eyebrow. "Shi dumped me in! Honestly!"  
  
Duo slipped from his mare's back, teeth chattering. Now that the sun was down, it was getting quite chilly. He shivered and rubbed his arms.   
  
"Of course Maxwell," Wufei rolled his eyes. "I suppose you'd better get changed, you have first watch."  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
(1) Shi- Japanese for seven and death. This case it's death :)  
(2) Cha- Chinese for tea, I was out of ideas!  
(3)Tian- Chinese for a lot of things but I'm using sweet for this context. 


	2. Chapter 2

Away From The Sunset  
  
  
GS: hehe, I've gotten such good responses with this story! I'm gonna continue, to those of you reading My Kinda Fairy Tale, I am still working on it, this is just an idea floating in my head.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Duo woke up the next morning with the sun. Even so, Wufei had been on the last shift for the night so he woke up to the boy putting out the fire with a pot of dirty water. He turned to Duo and tossed him a jerkin filled with water. Duo took a small swing of the boiled and cooled water and winced as it went down.  
  
"We can move now, there's a town twenty miles from here that we haven't hit yet," Wufei said as Duo wiped the sleep from his eyes. "If we move now we should get there by night fall."  
  
"Even with Tian?" Duo said groggily and reached for his hat beside his blanket. Wufei thought for a minute.  
  
"Mid day tomorrow then, if we stop for camp. Dawn if we don't."  
  
"What about packs? We've been here for a month so there was no reason to worry about it but Tian isn't up to carrying them now."  
  
"I thought about that," Wufei said as he started to disassemble the ashes and rocks built around the campfire. "We can sling them over a saddle but whoever's horse it is will have to walk. We can switch off every hour or so."  
  
"This time you take the first shift," Duo stood up and stretched. He slipped on his boots and went to move the packs onto a rock and started to hide any trace that they had been there. It took about half and hour to make the whole camp look abandoned. They saddled Cha and Shi while putting a frayed rope halter on Tian. Wufei attached it to Cha's horn and put the straps of the large saddle bags over his saddle and secured it. Duo did one last sweep of the camp and they started out as the sun rose on their faces.   
  
After the sun started to beat down at midday, Shi found a small muddy river that trickled to an underground spring. They stopped and let the horses rest and Wufei consulted his map. They moved the bags to Shi and Duo grumbled for an hour straight. The sun was setting behind them when Wufei found a small grove carved in a cliff wall. There wasn't a roof but it was comfort enough. Duo scouted for some wood and they built a fairly nice fire. Shi settled on the ground near the packs after they unsaddled them. Tian fell asleep beside Cha who was dozing. Wufei quickly built a fire then took off his aching boots. He let the air circulate through his toes then turned to Duo.  
  
Duo was curled on Shi's side, his head pillowed on her belly and the two slept on peacefully. Wufei bit his tongue regretfully and looked back to his fire. It looked like he was taking first guard today. His stomach grumbled loudly and he blushed even though nobody had heard. He took a swing of water boiled from the creek and made himself comfortable. On a pack. It had been a tiring day. He felt himself nodding off and jumped in panic. He couldn't fall asleep on his watch. Deciding to try and wake up more, Wufei stood and put his boots back on.   
  
The cold air snapped his senses away almost immedently and he stretched his sore and aching muscles. It had been a month since they had last moved camp. Risky for two people on the run but because of Tian it was necessary. Wufei sat on a cold rock and contemplated tomorrow. They would spend the money on supplies but Tian was due to foal in a month and she wouldn't be able to keep up this pace for long. Wufei also knew that they couldn't do it either, neither Duo or himself could afford to walk most of the trip.  
  
"I suppose we can pinch a temporary pack horse in the next town," Wufei mused outloud. "And sell it once Tian had foaled and she's stronger. Yes, that is the best plan."  
  
Wufei sat out in the cold for a while before he felt his senses finally giving out on him. He went back into the warmth of the alcove and poked his slumbering companion awake. Duo jumped with a start and his knife pulled out but relaxed when he saw who it was. Wufei got out his own blanket and curled up, his mind easily slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
He was woken the next morning by Duo kicking him softly with the toe of his boot. Wufei found his own knife drawn when he saw it was just Duo and put it away. Shi was on her feet and Duo brushed the dirt off her with their sole soft brush. Wufei sleepily saddled Cha and slung the packs on his saddle again. Tian's halter went on and Duo mounted up as they rode away into the sunrise. They kept a comfortable silence until Wufei remembered his plan last night.  
  
"Duo, I think we need to take on another pack horse until Tian foals," Wufei broke the quiet so suddenly it broke Duo out of a trance.  
  
"Huh? Oh yea, good idea. We can't keep on carrin' packs forever I guess. Pinchin' it?"  
  
"That would be best," Wufei nodded. "We can sell it later too."  
  
"That's use, thieves, robbers and horse rustlers!" Duo grinned easily. "Who knows maybe next we'll be plundering and raping the village women!"  
  
"You talk too much," Wufei rolled his eyes. Duo laughed and they continued the silence. It was still early morning when Duo's stomach grumbled loudly. He smiled sheepishly as Wufei glared.   
  
"Sorry," he mumbled blushing but then Wufei's stomach growled too. Duo broke out in helpless laugher on Shi's neck. Wufei glared at him, a pinkish tinge on his face. Once Duo stopped laughing he sat up and said abruptly, "Fei, we have to clean up! If we are purchasin' stuff we need to look presentable or people'll know we are bandits."  
  
"Maybe there's a creek around here somewhere," Wufei muttered and stopped. He pulled out his map and squinted. "There is an underground creek around here somewhere, there must be a farmhouse built nearby or something."  
  
"Well then let's go find it! Maybe there'll be a nice farmwife willin' to cook us a meal! I Haven't had a cooked meal in years Fei!"   
  
"I cook," Wufei defended himself as they started moving again. "And I cook damn well for what we have!"  
  
"Of course," Duo said absently. "Maybe they'll have a nice, shy little farm girl willin' to give a lonely traveller a good time." Duo got a far off dreamy look in his eyes.   
  
"Keep your self in check Maxwell," Wufei growled. They went over another dirt hill and ran into a fence. They stopped, surprised that it had just popped out at them. A small herd of cattle grazed on the hay inside as a farmhouse and barn stood behind them at the far end of the pasture. Duo let out a whoop.  
  
"Aha Fei!" Duo crowed. "Look, there's my farm house! Grand ain't it?"  
  
"It's not yours Maxwell," Wufei grumbled and glared down at the braided boy. He nudged Cha forward and Duo started with him, his hands lying gently on Shi's reins. Tian stood there before the rope pulled at her halter and she was forced forward. They made their way around the dairy cow herd in the fences until they approached the door. The house looked abandoned.  
  
"Uh, I don't think anyone's home," Duo said nervously. Wufei nodded, the quiet was fairly eerie. Suddenly the door jumped open and both the bandits pulled out their knives. The farmer stood in the doorway, a shotgun levelled steadily at Wufei's chest.   
  
"Git off my land," the farmer said slowly. Duo's eyes narrowed and he put his knife away.  
  
"Now wait a minute-" Duo stepped forward and the gun was trained on him. "We don't want to-"  
  
"Oh father!" there was a new voice as a young girl threw herself at her father's feet. Duo stepped back again surprised. "Please don'ta let 'em take me or ma sister! Do what they say but don't give 'em us!"  
  
Wufei almost laughed at the bad dramatics the girl acted, kneeling on the porch and weeping openly. The father seemed just as surprised and stepped back his gun lowering.  
  
"Mary Ann, git back in the house!" he said, realising he had lost the fear he had held over the two boys.   
  
"But father!" the girl cried. "I'm so scared! Please, ask 'em what they want!"  
  
"Fine!" the farmer growled and aimed a harsh word in the boy's direction. "What do ya want?!"  
  
"Some food would be nice," Wufei commented. The farmer growled, grabbed his daughter's wrist and dragged her back in the house. Wufei and Duo looked at each other and Duo gave a small sigh of relief. The father came back out quickly, another girl clutched in his wrist. He painfully threw her down the stairs so she landed in a heap at the bottom.   
  
"We don't need a girl-" Duo started but was interrupted by a pleading voice  
  
"Please take me," the girl looked at Duo with large brown eyes. Duo fell silent as the farmer started up again.  
  
"Ya can take her!" the man growled and raised his gun again. "Now I won't tell ya again. Get off my land."  
  
Wufei looked helplessly at Duo as the girl struggled to her feet and staggered over to the two boys. Wufei offered her and hand and pulled her on behind him on Cha. Duo jumped on Shi, his legs cramped uncomfortable on the saddle packs but he clucked to Shi and she took off at a canter. Tian lumber behind her. Wufei looked back at the man with a glare then kicked Cha forward as the girl clutched his waist.  
  
They cantered well out of sight before Tian tired and they slowed to a walk. Wufei shot a glare at the direction of the house then turned over his shoulder to talk to the girl. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes," the girl said miserably. Her voice was heavily accented with something over then the western accent. "I am glad to be avay. Day were 'orrible masters." She stopped talking and took her face from it's resting spot on Wufei's back. "You are not going to vape me, right?"  
  
Wufei wrinkled his nose. 'What do you take me for!?"  
  
"A thief an' a bandit," the girl smiled relief. "My name is Hilde Schbeiker. My family moved from Germany a few years ago an' I' 'ave been at deir house for a year and it was noting but 'orred."  
  
"My name's Duo Maxwell. I may run an' hide but you can trust me to never tell a lie! That's my good buddy Mr Wu-Chang. He immigrated from China but I was born in Boston."  
  
"Nice to meet you Duo Maxwell an' Mr Wu-Chang."  
  
"My name is Wufei, Maxwell!" 


	3. Chapter 3

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Away From The Sunset

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GS Note: Wow. This is the next part. It's kinda short but it's hard to write! I've been wrestling over this one for months and it's only 2 pages. I promise the next will be longer!

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Away From the Sunset

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Chapter 3

Wufei looked at the girl in front of him with a growing sense of unease. She was wearing an old pair of jeans Duo had swiped a few weeks back for emergencies and a flannel farmer's top left opened the top three buttons. She had a bandanna on her head to attempt to provide some protection against the sun. Wufei felt it grossly unnatural. Her old rag dress was tucking deep in the packs and they were currently trying to figure out how to get to the town.

"Look, I'm not about to let a lady walk!" Duo said loudly, his hands on his hips. "Wufei and I will!"

"You von't last long!" Hilde glared back at him. "It is hot! Sun beats down! I valk!"

"We can always ride double," Wufei commented. That earned a glare from Duo.

"It isn't proper!"

"Since when did you care about proper?"

"It-it," Duo stammered. "It just isn't right! And you know Shi wouldn't let it!"

"So she can ride double on Cha," Wufei shrugged and mounted up. "When it's my turn to walk she can too. It's simple."

Duo grumbled as Hilde mounted up behind Wufei. He took Shi's bridle and stomped off after them. Shi laid her ears back and nipped at Duo's hands. He yelped and dropped the reins while glaring at her. "Everybody's against me today! I shouldn't have woken up."

Wufei hid a smile at Duo's comment. It was the usual one when he didn't get his way. They travelled in comfortable silence until the rays from the sunset fell on their faces. It was once they couldn't see anymore, Duo called a halt.

"Wufei, weren't we suppose to reach the town by midday?" if Wufei could have seen Duo's face he was sure there was a scowl on it.

"I think we got turned around," Wufei said sighing. "Time to get off, Hilde."

The girl nodded sleepily, swung her leg over Cha's haunches and slid off. Wufei dismounted too. Wufei scanned the dark, just barely making out faint outlines of a rocky alcove nearby.

"Over there!" Wufei pointed. "We can spend the night here and get going the right way tomorrow!"

"Like pointin' helps," Duo growled sarcastically. "Just walk over there, I can make out Cha's outline. Do you still have Tian?"

"No," Wufei said slowly. "I thought you did!" 

"I thought you did!"

"Maxwell! You lost my horse! I'm going to-"

"Boys!" Hilde cut in sharply. "Stoop dis vighting. She must not 'ave gone far, vight? Ve vill vind her vonce ve light a f're."

Wufei forced himself to relax slightly. Hilde was right, there was nothing anyone could do until they got some light. He took a deep breath and grabbed the arm closest to him. "Come on. Let's go to the shelter."

"Can you still see it?" Duo asked sarcastically. Wufei scowled even though he knew his partner wouldn't see it.

"Yes, follow me," Wufei pulled the arm he held after him. Hilde gave an indignant stumble before follow him. Since Wufei's depth perception was thrown off by the dark, he tripped over something and fell flat on his nose. He heard Duo laugh behind him.

"Who was that? Fei-fei, was that's you? Man, it was funny!"

"Shut up Maxwell," Wufei said testily. He looked at the ground. It was pile of chopped wood. He frowned at it then said, "Hm, this all seems a little too convenient."

"I found some kindling," He heard Duo call off to his side. "Now it would be great if I can find my flint…"

They eventually got a fire started with much ankle turning, bruises and cursing. Hilde added a medium sized branch from a dead tree nearby and they watched as it caught fire.

"Can we look for Tian now?" Wufei as impatiently and fidgeting in a manner not at all like his own. Hilde offered to stay by the fire with the other horses as Duo and Wufei lit a long stick with the flame to see in the dark.

"Tian," Wufei called softly as they ventured from the warm heat of the fire to the dark cold of the night with only a small flame to lead their way. Duo wrapped his arms around his body and shivered but didn't complain. "Tian, haizi…"

"Here pony," Duo shivered, distracted by the cold but worried about the gentle mare none the less. "Come on mare, where are you?"

They looked for over an hour, the night getting colder and darker if it were possible. Duo finally decided it was time to voice an opinion. "Um, Fei? Buddy of mine? I think it's kind of cold now-"

"If you are suggesting we stop looking, I will kill you."

"I know Tian is important, I love her too man, but we aren't going t do much help if we're frozen, blind and sick. She might have gone back to camp, it's not like this is the first time she's wandered off. She might be back with Hilde, we do have the only fire for miles."

"Maybe," Wufei looked around again, not seeing much but reluctant to admit the search was hopeless until they got some light from the sun. "All right, you win. But I am waking up at the time the sun breaks so you will be too." 


End file.
